A news feature takes a regular news story and adds a slant or angle to it. It’s still full of verified facts, but it’s more interesting to read than a straight news article. According to the Poynter website, “Feature articles are chock full of human elements and a bit more subjective than a standard news story.” They’re more entertaining, but they can still be informative.
A journalist should interview as many people as possible when writing a news feature. This helps to tell a more rounded and complete story, and allows the reader to connect with the subject on a personal level. For example, if a reporter was covering a drug epidemic in the town where she lives, she should interview addicts and police officers to get both sides of the story. A journalist may also need to add some large-scale statistics to a local news feature to show the scope of the problem. For example, a reporter might include arrest data from police or treatment data from drug counselors.
Often, a feature will have a profile about one person. A journalist can use images and videos to showcase the subject’s background and character. For example, NBC News used a mix of photos and video to explore the legacy of segregation in Detroit. A journalist could also showcase the struggle to fight climate change in Africa by showcasing an immersive and interactive video from WaterAid. It includes full-screen photographs and statistics to help readers understand the impact of climate change on the people who live in Malawi.